‘A walk-in attraction’ – Circus Maximus
Experimental and genre-bending, Utopia offers a masterfully produced soundtrack combining Scott’s tactile, iconic sound with meticulous beats and instrumentals to create innovative music illustrating his versatility and willingness to take risks.
While there may be a lack of a coherent artistic vision within the album, Scott stays true to his style. The image that Travis Scott exudes has always been more of a “vibe” than that of a rapper; his beats and flows are instantly “Travis”. Despite the lyrical flow and rhyme at times seeming like he cares less about what he is saying and more so whether it rhymes — sound over lyric — it is certainly a bump, and most definitely a “Travis” head bump.
In fact, he has merged his musical endeavours with business and brand collaborations in a way in which no other musical artist has ever done. From Nike Jordans, Fortnite, Dior, Virgil Abloh, Saint Laurent and Reese’s Puffs to Nerf, Hot Wheels, PlayStation and, of course, McDonald’s — “I might still eat McDonald’s / But don’t think I’m a Ronald” — he has tailored his career to trends and embraced marketing like no other.
Utopia is a fusion of brilliant, untamed psychedelic pop and unsuccessful reservedness. Needing to show two sides — one, expected hallucinatory head-bumping raps, and the other, portraying a softer, more emotional side of the challenges he has faced since the tragedy of the 10 deaths at his Astroworld concert — the results are mixed. Noticeably, the rage comes naturally, but the reflection feels simulated, uncovering that beneath the mega-brand, a sole mortal person lies.
Debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, all 19 songs from the album debuted in the Billboard Hot 100, making Scott the 15th artist in history to receive 100-plus entries on the chart. Accompanied by the likes of the Weeknd, Drake, Young Thug, SZA, Bad Bunny and Beyoncé, all collaborations supplement and mix efficiently with Scott, offering similar fast-paced verses with differing tones matching the needs of the track.
In a promotional campaign that saw Scott’s bodyguard handcuffed to a briefcase with the words Utopia written across it, Utopia totems appearing across Utopia, Texas, and even an A24 film entitled Circus Maximus (in which A24 later denied any involvement), it was certainly made more bizarre when event company Live Nation Middle East revealed the planned launch concert at the Pyramids of Giza would be cancelled due to construction issues. Scott then announced a concert set for Pompeii and then nearly incited an earthquake at his concert at the Circus Maximus in Rome on 7 August.
Standout Tracks
“HYAENA”
“SIRENS”
“CIRCUS MAXIMUS”
“MELTDOWN”
“SKITZO”
“K-POP”
